September comes from the Latin word septem “seven,” because this was the seventh month of the early Roman calendar. September’s birthstone is the sapphire and the flower is the aster. Some of September’s observances are: Eat Chicken Month, Happy Healthy Cat Month, Hunger Action Month, Library Card Sign-up Month, National Service Dog Month, Update your Resume Month, National Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15th-October 15th), National Waffle Week (6th-12th), National Keep Kids Creative Week (20th-26th), Labor Day (7th), National Day of Service and Remembrance (11th), Rosh Hashanah (11th-13th, Sundown), Roald Dahl Day (13th) Constitution Day (17th), Talk Like A Pirate Day (19th), R.E.A.D. in America Day (26th), and National Coffee Day (29th). For more interesting, fun, or educational observances please follow our social media pages as we will post links, recipes and more.

September is Library Card Sign-up Month, a national campaign to remind everyone about the power and value of free library services. The J. Robert Jamerson Memorial Library invites all those in Appomattox and surrounding communities to stop by and get their cards this month. Getting a library card is fast, easy, and free, just show a valid ID and proof of address, and a friendly staff member will be happy to issues you one. Minors under 18 years of age must have a parent/guardian apply for a card for themselves, and minors will be issued a card linked to the responsible party’s account. Stop by the library, located on Main Street, and open the door to a world of learning.

Rocking it with Dr. Krystal and Nature is Lit, a popular social media naturalist and science educator. She has teamed up with the Library to bring you a collaboration video on gray tree frogs and Cope’s gray tree frogs.  Nature Is Lit is where science meets storytelling. From bizarre animals to groundbreaking research, we’re here to make nature make sense and show how much we still don’t know. Because the natural world isn’t just beautiful…it’s powerful, complex, and lit! Check out her video on the Library’s YouTube channel at https://youtu.be/aC8_eDqFDUo.

On Tuesday, August 25th, the Library’s director made tracks to the Pamplin Train Depot for a Story & Craft. She read the the books “Harriet Dancing”, “The Night of the Hedgehog” and “Our Friend Hedgehog” followed by snacks and a construction paper hedgehog craft.

James River was our guest for the Wednesday, August 26th’s Jamerson Library’s Story & Craft Time. Ranger Tess read the book “Otter” by Sandy Ransford and Bert Kitchen.  Followed by snacks and a opossum paper  bag puppet craft, because otters and opossums are cute!

Patrons “hopped” on over to the Family Summer Movie Night on Thursday, August 27th. The Library featured an animated comedy adventure about an animal lover who seizes an opportunity to use a new technology to “hop” her consciousness into a lifelike robotic beaver and communicate directly with animals. Our next Family Movie Night will be on Thursday, September 24, starting at 6:00 pm. This “Super” movie is about brothers that adventure to solve everyday problems in a kingdom, meet a new friend and look forward to a special birthday party. A call for help sends this crew across the galaxy to face new worlds, and unexpected threats. The Library will serve free snacks, this movie is rated PG.

The Library went to the birds on Friday, August 28st, hosting Rodney Stotts for a Book Signing and Meet & Greet. Rodney is one of the few African American master falconers. He brought along with his Harris Hawk, Agnes. Patrons purchased a personally signed copy of Rodney’s book “Bird Brother: A Falconer’s Journey and the Healing Power of Wildlife”, an inspiring true story of pursuing dreams, redemption and second chances. The Library does have a copy of his book available for checkout.

As a part of the Library’s continued celebration of America’s 250th anniversary, there will be a free “Science Across America” raffle starring on Tuesday, September 1st. It is one entry per person, per visit to the Library, open to everyone of all ages! We will announce the winner of this raffle on Monday, September 28th. Good luck!

The Library will be a guest vendor at the Town of Appomattox’s “Town Picnic” on Thursday, September 3rd, from 5:30 pm to 7:00 pm in Abbitt Park. Join us for crafts, bubbles, and glitter tattoos, as we promote Library services! Remember, September is also Library Card Sign-up Month!

In observation of the Labor Day Holiday, the Library will be closed on Monday, September 7th. We will reopen for normal business hours on Tuesday, September 8th, starting at 9:30 am. Our book depository, located at the back of the building, will remain open.

Starting Thursday, September 17th, the Jamerson Library will feature our first Film Noir Club! Meet us in the community room at 5:00 pm for some spine-tingling and gritty tales. It was a dark and stormy night ……… the perfect setting for sinister danger, sexy femme fatales, crime dramas, hard-boiled detectives, and fatalistic stories, where heroes rarely get their happily ever-afters, mixed in with a touch of classic black and white films from the 1940s and 1950s. If you are interested in learning more about the genre, Turner Classic Movies (TCM) has a great YouTube video to explain the grittier details at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JOrgAnJNoTA.

Appomattox County Schools and the J. Robert Jamerson Memorial Library are hosting a Fall Festival. Meet us in Abbitt Park on Saturday, September 26th, from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm. This is a community family-friendly event to promote local services. There will be vendors, games, and fun! Service animals are welcome, but please leave your pets at home.

If you have any questions or concerns about this article, or other library-related topics, please feel free to call us during normal business hours.

J. Robert Jamerson Memorial Library

The Library receives a steady supply of new and donated items and would like to highlight the following items: